Contact: Mary Anderson, 240-777-6534
For Immediate Release: November 8, 2001

County Opens Juvenile
Assessment Center

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today joined Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice Deputy Secretary Phyllis D. K. Hildreth and local officials to open the County’s new Juvenile Assessment Center. Other officials participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony were Montgomery County Councilmember Phil Andrews; Police Chief Charles A. Moose; Judge Paul H. Weinstein; and Ron Rivlin, Acting Manager of Juvenile Justice Services at the County’s Department of Health and Human Services.

The multi-agency center brings together the services of the Montgomery County Police Department, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and other agencies to provide easy access for children, youth and families to comprehensive child welfare and juvenile justice services in one location.

“Strong partnerships yield effective results for children and their families,” said Duncan. “A juvenile justice approach that can respond quickly and effectively at the first sign of trouble will help keep our youth from getting caught in a cycle of delinquency and violence.”

The Juvenile Assessment Center was a central recommendation of the County’s Comprehensive Strategy for Juvenile Justice, and Duncan has advocated strongly for the Center and other improvements in the juvenile justice system.

"The Juvenile Assessment Center will improve our response and help troubled young people get their lives under control," said Councilmember Phil Andrews, chair of the Council's Public Safety Committee.

Services at the Juvenile Assessment Center include the Department of Health and Human Services’ Screening and Assessment Services for Children and Adolescents (SASCA), Child and Adolescent Forensic Evaluation Services (CAFES) and Child Welfare Services; the Police Department’s Youth Services Investigative Unit; the Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice intake and supervision unit; the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Alternative Community Service Program; and Montgomery County Public Schools.

“This Assessment Center is a great step forward in comprehensive, collaborative strategies to help the youth in our communities,” said Hildreth. “DJJ is pleased to partner with Montgomery County in this ongoing effort. We will continue to work with them as they go through the new Youth Strategies Consolidated Grant process.”

Each year, more than 3,400 youth are arrested for delinquent acts in Montgomery County and an additional 1,200 youth each month are under supervision with the Department of Juvenile Justice. Research shows that if a juvenile can be successfully diverted away from the court system and into treatment, there is a high probability that the juvenile will not return to the court system at a later time.

“As a society, the welfare of our children is one of our highest priorities,” said Moose. “By bringing together all of the agencies involved in providing services to children and families in need of our help, we stand a much better chance of reducing juvenile crime and delinquency.”